Overheating concerns

tlisle18 · Jan 27, 2013

So i just got my new Macbook Air set up.
Here are the specs (1.8GHz dual-core intel, Turbo boost to 2.8GHz, 4GB of onboard 1600MHZ, Intel HD graphics 4000)

So my primary concern here as stated in the title is overheating issues, generally my mac sits at around 80 - 100 F. which is no worry, however, when i play any sort of low performance demanding games (ex. Minecraft) the laptop heats up and sits steadily at around 200 - 215 F. Should i be concerned with that temperature?

Also, i have a Antec fan that my laptop sits atop of, this fan is HUGE and covers the entire bottom of my laptop which definitely cools it substantially, however, i am still concerned with how high the temp. is when i play low demanding games.
If someone could reassure me I'm fine or suggest some cooling techniques (exhaust... ect) or should i immediately stop playing any games what-so-ever on my Mac? It'd be appreciated, thanks again.

yetieater · Jan 28, 2013

It's kind of a given due to size constraints within the device. I could show you my teardown of a MacBook Air, but this isn't something that you really need to be concerned with. Game on.

GGJstudios · Jan 28, 2013

The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C (221F), GPU Tjmax = 100C (212F) on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel)

If you're not already using it, iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) will give you accurate readings of your temps and fan speeds, among other things.

Unless there is a rare defect in a Mac, most temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload being put on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.

It is also quite normal for your Mac to become extremely hot to the touch during intensive operations. The aluminum body transfers heat more effectively than other materials used in computer casings, so you will feel the heat more. This doesn't indicate that it's overheating and will not harm the computer to be hot to the touch.

Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs, MBs and minis). iMacs have 3 fans with minimum speeds in the 800-1200 range. They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level.

If your fans are spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC.
(PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help.)

The intake and exhaust vents are in the back of the computer near the hinge on all Mac notebooks (except the new MBP with retina display, which has intake vents along the sides at the bottom). The iMac vent is a slot on the back near the top of the computer. Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best.

Learn about the fans in your Mac
Apple Portables: Operating temperature

For Flash-related issues:

Find your Flash version and make sure it's the latest version available.
Install ClickToFlash (Safari), Flashblock (Firefox) or FlashBlock (Chrome) to control which Flash content plays on websites.
Use the YouTube HTML5 Video Player to watch YouTube videos, when available. (May impact fullscreen viewing. See link for details.)

Scellow · Jul 9, 2013

GGJstudios said:
The Intel processors used in Macs are designed to automatically shut down to prevent damage if they truly overheat. CPU Tjmax = 105C (221F), GPU Tjmax = 100C (212F) on i3, i5, i7 processors. (Source: Intel)

If you're not already using it, iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) will give you accurate readings of your temps and fan speeds, among other things.

Unless there is a rare defect in a Mac, most temps are well within the normal operating range, considering the workload being put on it. Websites with Flash content, games and other multimedia apps will put higher demand on the CPU/GPU, generating more heat. This is normal. If you're constantly putting high demands on your system, such as gaming or other multimedia tasks, expect temps to rise and fans to spin up accordingly. It's just your Mac doing its job to maintain temps within the normal range.

It is also quite normal for your Mac to become extremely hot to the touch during intensive operations. The aluminum body transfers heat more effectively than other materials used in computer casings, so you will feel the heat more. This doesn't indicate that it's overheating and will not harm the computer to be hot to the touch.

Your fans are always on when your Mac is on, spinning at a minimum of 2000 rpm (for MBPs) or 1800 rpm (for MBAs, MBs and minis). iMacs have 3 fans with minimum speeds in the 800-1200 range. They will spin faster as needed to keep temps at a safe level.

If your fans are spinning up without increased heat, try resetting the SMC.
(PRAM/NVRAM has nothing to do with these issues, so resetting it will not help.)

The intake and exhaust vents are in the back of the computer near the hinge on all Mac notebooks (except the new MBP with retina display, which has intake vents along the sides at the bottom). The iMac vent is a slot on the back near the top of the computer. Make sure the vents remain unblocked to allow your computer to perform at its best.

Learn about the fans in your Mac
Apple Portables: Operating temperature

For Flash-related issues:

Find your Flash version and make sure it's the latest version available.

Install ClickToFlash (Safari), Flashblock (Firefox) or FlashBlock (Chrome) to control which Flash content plays on websites.

Use the YouTube HTML5 Video Player to watch YouTube videos, when available. (May impact fullscreen viewing. See link for details.)

I saw the same commennt everywhere! You are working for apple or wtf ?

I have a MBA mid 2012, with minecraft after 5min of playing time the CPU reach 100°C , it's NOT NORMAL !!!
If you continue to say it's normal please go document yourself

I really hope MAVERICKS will fix that

If not bye bye Apple

keysofanxiety · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
I saw the same commennt everywhere! You are working for apple or wtf ?

I have a MBA mid 2012, with minecraft after 5min of playing time the CPU reach 100°C , it's NOT NORMAL !!!
If you continue to say it's normal please go document yourself

I really hope MAVERICKS will fix that

If not bye bye Apple

Remember with integrated graphics, the CPU's gonna really heat up when you do games. Minecraft is actually one of the worst for heat on Mac because it uses Java which is a POS on OS X. If you find this concerning I'd suggest resetting the SMC & PRAM, and see if that makes a difference. Also, are you using iStat to get the temperatures?

Please keep me updated, this thread is of some interest to me.

Scellow · Jul 9, 2013

keysofanxiety said:
Remember with integrated graphics, the CPU's gonna really heat up when you do games. Minecraft is actually one of the worst for heat on Mac because it uses Java which is a POS on OS X. If you find this concerning I'd suggest resetting the SMC & PRAM, and see if that makes a difference. Also, are you using iStat to get the temperatures?

Please keep me updated, this thread is of some interest to me.

I tried everything ... when idling temps are correct 40-50°C
When i do some internet browsing it reach 60°C and even 70°C with youtube

It's summer so ambiant temp are a bit hot 33°C outdoor maybe 25-28 indoor

As i said, when i start eavy things, like gaming or powerfull apps like Unity3D Maya or AfterEffect temps can easilly reach 100+°C and fan rotate @6500 rpm ...

i regret a lot my purchase .. if only i knew that i would bought the MPB...

keatre · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
As i said, when i start eavy things, like gaming or powerfull apps like Unity3D Maya or AfterEffect temps can easilly reach 100+°C and fan rotate @6500 rpm ...

As others have said, this is quite normal. There is no reason to panic if your temps are around 100°C for heaving processing. Gaming is one of the most difficult strains a normal user can put on a system. The "max" temperature your processor (the 2012 Ivy) will work at is 105°C. This is still below the max temperature the processor will function - Intel simply designs the processor to shut itself off at that point, as to not cause future issues. There is no harm in running a processor within it's designed Tjunction. The user simply needs to be aware of WHAT is causing this to happen - Games? Of course. Browsing Facebook? Something is wrong.

Hopefully that clears a few things up.

keysofanxiety · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
I tried everything ... when idling temps are correct 40-50°C
When i do some internet browsing it reach 60°C and even 70°C with youtube

It's summer so ambiant temp are a bit hot 33°C outdoor maybe 25-28 indoor

As i said, when i start eavy things, like gaming or powerfull apps like Unity3D Maya or AfterEffect temps can easilly reach 100+°C and fan rotate @6500 rpm ...

i regret a lot my purchase .. if only i knew that i would bought the MPB...

Well with the greatest of respect, that's not really surprising. Idle temps are absolutely fine. Can reach up to 70C with YouTube (that'll be Flash/HTML 5 taking its toll). Again, well documented, not a problem.

And when you try gaming or use powerful apps with an integrated graphics card on a consumer notebook, you're surprised when it approaches boiling point? And consider it Apple's problem?

With the greatest of respect, you got an ultra-portable with integrated graphics when you were going to do gaming and use GPU-hungry applications. It's not a bad machine, you just bought the wrong one because you didn't do your research.

TL;DR: Apple aren't at fault, sorry dude.

Scellow · Jul 9, 2013

keysofanxiety said:
Well with the greatest of respect, that's not really surprising. Idle temps are absolutely fine. Can reach up to 70C with YouTube (that'll be Flash/HTML 5 taking its toll). Again, well documented, not a problem.

And when you try gaming or use powerful apps with an integrated graphics card on a consumer notebook, you're surprised when it approaches boiling point? And consider it Apple's problem?

With the greatest of respect, you got an ultra-portable with integrated graphics when you were going to do gaming and use GPU-hungry applications. It's not a bad machine, you just bought the wrong one because you didn't do your research.

TL;DR: Apple aren't at fault, sorry dude.

Why putting a v12 motor in a bicycle then ?It's Apple fault, they built a laptop with high end part without any optimisation or limitation..
I reiterate, we live in 2013 not in 1990, 100°C in a laptop nowadays is NOT normal

keysofanxiety · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
Why putting a v12 motor in a bicycle then ?It's Apple fault, they built a laptop with high end part without any optimisation or limitation..
I reiterate, we live in 2013 not in 1990, 100°C in a laptop nowadays is NOT normal

No, they built an ultra-portable which is a consumer computer. I reiterate, if you absolutely rape your onboard graphics like you are, you will get 100C. You are right that we live in 2013, not in 1990, so you should know the difference between a consumer laptop and Apple's Pro line. It's even in the name. 'MacBook Air' is consumer portable. 'MacBook Pro' is professional portable.

And there is 'optimisation' and 'limitation'. As one of the other posters said, 105C is around the temperature it starts killing your CPU. Once your CPU reaches 100C on your Mac, it will throttle the clockspeed to stop itself from killing itself; that's why you'll never see it go beyond 102/103C. Your ignorance offends me, I'd rather not continue with explaining what the point of a MacBook Air is.

Scellow · Jul 9, 2013

keysofanxiety said:
No, they built an ultra-portable which is a consumer computer. I reiterate, if you absolutely rape your onboard graphics like you are, you will get 100C. You are right that we live in 2013, not in 1990, so you should know the difference between a consumer laptop and Apple's Pro line. It's even in the name. 'MacBook Air' is consumer portable. 'MacBook Pro' is professional portable.

And there is 'optimisation' and 'limitation'. As one of the other posters said, 105C is around the temperature it starts killing your CPU. Once your CPU reaches 100C on your Mac, it will throttle the clockspeed to stop itself from killing itself; that's why you'll never see it go beyond 102/103C. Your ignorance offends me, I'd rather not continue with explaining what the point of a MacBook Air is.

Oh you seems to be very intelligent dude, so what should i do now ? my laptop is only built for text editing and browsing only?

Oh man, i'm a ignorant could you please tell me the knowledge

keatre · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
Oh you seems to be very intelligent dude, so what should i do now ? my laptop is only built for text editing and browsing only?

Oh man, i'm a ignorant could you please tell me the knowledge

While this thread has gone downhill rather quickly, I am still wondering what the problem is. There's a whole other thread here that describes many being able to utilize the machine for multiple games. The Macbook Air is a brilliant little computer for what it's built for. If you wanted a hefty workhorse for complex video encoding or something else, perhaps you made an unwise purchase.

But saying it can only text edit and browse the Internet is quite misleading.

keysofanxiety · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
Oh you seems to be very intelligent dude, so what should i do now ? my laptop is only built for text editing and browsing only?

Oh man, i'm a ignorant could you please tell me the knowledge

No, it's built for light gaming, speed, and puts portability as its main factor in a powerful machine.

Running Unity3D/AfterEffect/everything else you're doing on any UltraBook with the same specifications as your MBA will give you the same result. It's got integrated graphics, for God's sake. If you run GPU-heavy tasks on it, it will get hot. GPU is shared with the CPU.

I don't know why this won't sink in for you. You bought a brilliant computer, but you're using it for the wrong thing. I wouldn't drive a Ferrari on a rally circuit. I wouldn't drive a rally car on an F1 circuit.

Similarly, I wouldn't get an iMac if I was going to use it as a laptop, carrying it everywhere I go with a UPS. And I wouldn't buy a MacBook Air with integrated graphics if I was going to do GPU-intensive tasks.

lurn2computer.

keys

Scellow · Jul 9, 2013

keysofanxiety said:
No, it's built for light gaming, speed, and puts portability as its main factor in a powerful machine.

Running Unity3D/AfterEffect/everything else you're doing on any UltraBook with the same specifications as your MBA will give you the same result. It's got integrated graphics, for God's sake. If you run GPU-heavy tasks on it, it will get hot. GPU is shared with the CPU.

I don't know why this won't sink in for you. You bought a brilliant computer, but you're using it for the wrong thing. I wouldn't drive a Ferrari on a rally circuit. I wouldn't drive a rally car on an F1 circuit.

Similarly, I wouldn't get an iMac if I was going to use it as a laptop, carrying it everywhere I go with a UPS. And I wouldn't buy a MacBook Air with integrated graphics if I was going to do GPU-intensive tasks.

lurn2computer.

keys

Dude it's not a 200$ toy, this **** worth 1000$ i know it's my fault because i bought the wrong product, that said, i'm here because people like him : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1422266/
are lying !

They encourage you to buy the wrong product.

I'll sell it for a MBP end of the discution.

And i continue tu say, 100°C for a laptop is NOT normal.. if it's normal for you let's fry some chicken while playing minecraft together, yeah with an apple it's delicious :3

keysofanxiety · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
Dude it's not a 200$ toy, this **** worth 1000$ i know it's my fault because i bought the wrong product, that said, i'm here because people like him : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1422266/
are lying !

They encourage you to buy the wrong product.

I'll sell it for a MBP end of the discution.

And i continue tu say, 100°C for a laptop is NOT normal.. if it's normal for you let's fry some chicken while playing minecraft together, yeah with an apple it's delicious :3

Well, make sure you get a 15" MBP with a dedicated GPU.

And you're right, 100°C isn't normal. But as you stated, you get 40°C when it's idling and up to 70°C when watching videos. So it's not running at 100°C normally, only when you absolutely tax the GPU with those programs you mentioned earlier.

Sorry if I was getting irate earlier, but that's the point I was trying to make. It's normal to run at that temp if the GPU's getting hammered, and idle/load temperatures that you're otherwise getting are fine.

Best of luck with your next Mac, hope it works out better for you.

entatlrg · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
Dude it's not a 200$ toy, this **** worth 1000$ i know it's my fault because i bought the wrong product, that said, i'm here because people like him : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1422266/
are lying !

They encourage you to buy the wrong product.

I'll sell it for a MBP end of the discution.

And i continue tu say, 100°C for a laptop is NOT normal.. if it's normal for you let's fry some chicken while playing minecraft together, yeah with an apple it's delicious :3

Sounds like a Windows notebook will suit you best ... check out some gaming forums for laptop advice, with your tone they'll welcome you with open arms I'm sure

GGJstudios · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
I saw the same commennt everywhere!

You see the same comment everywhere for two reasons:

People continue to ask the same questions over and over, rather than searching existing threads for the answers that have already been given.
There's only so many ways to answer the same question.

Scellow said:
You are working for apple or wtf ?

No, I don't work for Apple. I work for me. I've just been around long enough to know the information I posted.

Scellow said:
I have a MBA mid 2012, with minecraft after 5min of playing time the CPU reach 100°C , it's NOT NORMAL !!

Yes, it is normal for the CPU to reach such temps under heavy workloads. Whether it's normal in your opinion is irrelevant. It's normal according to Apple and Intel.

Scellow said:
If you continue to say it's normal please go document yourself

I already posted documentation, including the sources. Try reading it.

Scellow said:
I really hope MAVERICKS will fix that

There's nothing to fix. Any computer gets hot under heavy workloads. Don't make the mistake of expecting an ultra-portable like an MBA to handle the same workloads with the same temps as a desktop or even a more powerful notebook.

jksu · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
I saw the same commennt everywhere! You are working for apple or wtf ?

I have a MBA mid 2012, with minecraft after 5min of playing time the CPU reach 100°C , it's NOT NORMAL !!!
If you continue to say it's normal please go document yourself

I really hope MAVERICKS will fix that

If not bye bye Apple

it's why I didn't replace my 2010 with a 2012.

the 2012s ran way hot. i returned it after a couple of days - the fan was always on. i missed the quiet cool 2010.

just got the 2013. as cool and quiet as the 2010

jadam · Jul 9, 2013

Scellow said:
And i continue tu say, 100°C for a laptop is NOT normal.. if it's normal for you let's fry some chicken while playing minecraft together, yeah with an apple it's delicious :3

If it fries just bring it back to Apple to get a replacement. I'm using my MBA for Unit3d, Xcode, and gaming and no problems.

As a point of comparison and an anecdote, my last laptop had a Geforce 8600M GT and that ran at 95C when gaming, purchased in 2007, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220182. It was still running up until last year, the GPU was fine even, the laptop stopped working because the powerjack broke on it. Mind you this was a laptop that saw a LOT of gaming and time at 95C, no problems.

I'm sure the MBA will last just fine even at 100C. There is really no reason for anything to go wrong at that temperature anyways. I believe in older processors the main issue with such high heat was issues with desoldering of components and burning of the resins used to encase the CPU/GPU http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_smoke. In modern CPUs that are engineered to run at such temperatures, there should be no problem.

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